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Kean holds Hoilett hope

Steve Kean remains optimistic regarding Blackburn's chances of convincing Junior Hoilett to pen a new long-term contract with the club.

Last Updated: 12/03/12 12:17pm

Junior Hoilett: Will see his current contract expire at the end of the season

Steve Kean remains optimistic regarding Blackburn's chances of convincing Junior Hoilett to pen a new long-term contract with the club.

The forward's future has been the subject of mounting speculation throughout the 2011/12 campaign, with his current deal at Ewood Park set to expire in the summer.

Blackburn have been locked in extension talks for some time, but have yet to reach an agreement.

Their inability to put fresh terms in place has alerted a number of clubs to Hoilett's potential availability, with the Canadian winger featuring prominently on transfer radars across Europe.

Rovers are refusing to give up on their efforts, though, and Kean is hoping that Premier League survival will help to sway Hoilett and prove to him that he is already in the best place for his career.

"We would love to do something about Junior," Kean said in the Lancashire Telegraph.

Development

"We are hopeful. Once we get to the required points tally, hopefully we can go back to him and talk again but at the moment we are just letting him play his football and hopefully we can get him signed once we make sure we are in this division.

"He has been at the academy since 13, we have seen his development and we have a lot of young players. We feel as though that is a theme that should run through our club for years to come."

Kean pushed Hoilett into a more advanced role on Saturday and saw the 21-year-old reward him with a match-winning brace in a vital 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers Wolves.

"I think he can play off the front, he is equally as good wide," said Kean.

"He likes playing up front and it is not a case he likes it there because it is a rest when he has not got the ball, because right to the last minute he was chasing full-backs down and spinning into the channels."